1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and particularly to an electrical connector which can indicate an engaging status between the connector and a complementary connector.
2. Description of Related Art
Electrical connectors are widely used for signal transmission between personal computers and peripheral equipments, such as monitor and scanner. U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,461, issued to Zhu et al., discloses an electrical connector comprising a dielectric housing defining a plurality of passageways, a plurality of terminals received in the passageways and a fixing device securing the connector on a printed circuit board (PCB). Each terminal includes a front end positioned in the passageway for engaging with a terminal of a complementary connector and a rear end extending beyond the housing for soldering to the PCB. When the electrical connection between the connectors and the complementary connectors becomes faulty, there is a need to identify the fault duly and solve the problem immediately. Thus a connector providing a visual indication on faulty information regarding the electrical connection between the connector and the complementary connector is required.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,409,530, issued to Zhao et al., discloses a power jack comprising a spring contact, a switch contact and a Light Emitting Diode (LED) for indicating the engaging status between the power jack and a complementary plug. The spring contact, the switch contact and the LED are all electrically connected with a PCB on which the power jack is mounted. When the power jack engages with the plug, the spring contact is pressed down by a corresponding contact of the plug to disengage from the switch contact and an electrical path between the plug and the PCB is established, whereby the LED is on. Otherwise, the LED is off. However, in order to indicate the engaging status, the spring contact and the switch contact are employed, so this technology cannot adapt to a connector which includes a plurality of contacts.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,457,993, issued to Espenshade, discloses a modular jack comprising a pair of LEDs. The LEDs are multifunctional, such as indicating the engaging status between the modular jack and a complementary connector, indicating the working status of each terminal of the modular jack etc, so an electrical circuit on a PCB on which the modular jack is mounted for connecting with the LEDs is complicated. However, sometimes only a connector capable of indicating the engaging status of connecting to a complementary connector is desired, so it is not necessary to make the PCB so complicated.
Hence, an electrical connector having an improved indicating device is desired to overcome the disadvantages and problems of the prior art.
A main object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having a detecting terminal for indicating the engaging status between the connector and a complementary connector.
To achieve the above object, an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention comprises a dielectric housing defining a plurality of passageways, a plurality of signal terminals received in corresponding passageways of the dielectric housing, a grounding terminal and a detecting terminal for electrically connecting with an indicating unit of a printed circuit board (PCB). The grounding terminal and the detecting terminal are received in a corresponding passageway of the dielectric housing and electrically insulated with each other. Each of the grounding terminal and the detecting terminal comprises an engaging portion for electrically connecting with a terminal of the complementary connector, a mounting portion for electrically connecting with the PCB and a retaining portion located between the engaging portion and the mounting portion. The grounding terminal and the detecting terminal are engageable with the terminal of the complementary connector to establish an electrical connection therebetween.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.